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The Prince Regent
Prince George IV, is a main character in Blackadder the Third, portrayed by Hugh Laurie. He is based on the historical George IV of the United Kingdom. Biography The son of King George III, Prince George IV is represented as a bumbling, self-absorbed, pompous and foppish fool who spends money extravagantly (especially on impressive trousers and socks). George is exceedingly stupid, unable to preform the simplest of tasks e.g. in "Nob and Nobility", it takes Prince George a week to put on a pair of trousers by himself, eventually putting them on his head. George relies heavily on Mr. E. Blackadder in the series, even while Blackadder despises George for his immense wealth and complete inability to rectify problems in his life. While George is considered "moronic" and "idiotic," he is helpful, loyal, and is aware he is not very intelligent, (describing himself as "thick as a whale omelette.") George has proven himself even dimmer than Baldrick, as shown when he believes Balrick's insulting poem of himself, is describing how "lovely he is", despite Mrs. Miggins' insistence of the fact, while Baldrick feebly attempts to cover up the truth, by pretending not to know Mrs. Miggins, through he still addresses her by name. He is completely reliant on Mr. E. Blackadder for support as result, often resulting in Blackadder manipulating the Prince for his own ends e.g. Blackadder often steals the Prince's socks and sells them for cash, despite pointing out only he and the prince have access to his socks, George fails to realise Blackadder is the only one capable of stealing them, despite believing someone must be stealing them. It is also revealed by Blackadder his source of cash is asking "Prince Fat Head For A Rise", referring to the prince as his own personal bank. The two have been together since infancy, with Blackadder once describing his first responsibility as a servant as "showing George which bit of your mother was serving the drinks." Described by many of his subjects as a "fat, flatulent git", many see him as a waste of space and money. Pitt the Younger's first acts as Prime Minister involves a failed attempt to bankrupt the prince, and in one instance £5000 was given by Parliament for the Prince to "drink himself to death with". Additional to his personality, the Prince is an extremely arrogant, self-obsessed and highly vain idiot with no caring for anyone but himself. When receiving a visit from Dr. Johnson upon the creation of his Dictionary, he mistakes it for a proper novel and asks for the book's hero's name, Dr Johnson comments on there being no hero in his Dictionary and George self-obsessedly and arrogantly comments Oh, well you'd better put one in pronto. Better call him George, George is a good name for a hero., displaying his extremely high level of arrogance. Nonetheless, the Prince can be thoughtful and generous at times, for example in Blackadder's Christmas Carol, he weeps at Blackadder's story and gives all his gifts and silverware away to a poor, old beggar. In "Duel and Duality", the final episode of the third series, after his first sexual encounter (with the Duke of Wellington's nieces), this princely incarnation of George is shot by the vengeful Wellington's flintlock pistol and killed. George briefly awakes, believing that he may have a cigarillo case on him that deflected the blow, but when he realises that he must have left the case at home, he promptly falls dead again in Baldrick's arms. Historical Comparison Though exaggerated for comic effect, many of the Prince Regent's characteristics are based in historical fact. Like the television character, the historical George IV spent lavishly and was considered a wastrel prior to ascending the throne. He eventually married Caroline of Brunswick (whom Blackadder dismissed when considering possible wives for George on account of having "the worst personality in Germany" in "Amy and Amiability"). Links *George IV (real-world counterpart) at Wikipedia Category:Characters Category:Blackadder the Third characters Category:Blackadder's Christmas Carol characters Category:George Family Category:Monarchs Category:Characters played by Hugh Laurie Category:Princes Category:People with real-world counterparts Category:English Category:Male